The Show Must Go On
by Saintbeast
Summary: Karou is leading a pretty normal life with her friends then suddenly everything is turned upside down. At the center of it all is a certain redheaded man with a very distinct scar. What's he hidding? And why do people seem to be after him?


Hello my newest fic. Yes it is Kenshin set in modern times. I know what you're thinking, Not another one, right? Well I tried my best anyway and I hope you decide to read it and you like it. Don't worry I do plan for a little action in latter chaps. I've never done action really though so it might be a little rough. But I will definitely try my best. Anyway please review when you're done. If I get enough response I'll continue the story.

Disclaimer: don't own it if I did there would a been alot more going on between Karou and Kenshin in the anime. And Sanosuke wouldn't have left for china in the manga.

Oh, just so everyone's on the same page, Sanosuke does have a little sister and brother. And he is slightly estranged from his father in the manga. I mention this because I do mention these characters in my fic.

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Karou fastened the last clasp on the denim skirt she had put on. She took a final look at herself in the mirror before stepping out of her room. The house had seemed so much larger now that her father was gone. A sad look brushed her face. She had lost her mother long ago. She had been just a little girl, it was hard for her to understand her father back then. His reluctance to talk about her, his desire to be alone. Karou sighed. It had stressed the relationship she had with her father. She had lost so much time with him because of it. Now he was gone, soon to be two years.

"Hey Missie!" Sanosuke popped his head into the living room. "Hey there you are. So Missie, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

"Sanosuke!?" Though Karou really wasn't surprised. "How many times did I tell you to ring the bell?!" Karou fumed.

"You're not cooking right? I'm really hungry, so I want something I can actually eat," Sanosuke spoke around her, ignoring the question.

"Yar!!" Karou threw her slipper with all her might at Sanosuke's head.

Sanosuke caught the projectile inches away from his nose with little difficulty. He looked toward Karou. She looked ready to take his head off. "Hmph." He grunted. "I would have expected more from our school's top kendo club member." Sanosuke smirked as he tossed the slipper out the front door he had left open.

"Ahh!" Karou watched her slipper sail out into the lawn. "grwww." She growled as she went to retrieve her slipper. Pushing past Sano's tall frame she placed a hard punch in his side. She smiled to see the smirk slip from his face. "Don't underestimate Meiji High's Flower of Kendo." Karou said over her shoulder. Ending with a condescending laugh.

"Grrr" Sano quickly pulled his hand away from his sore side. "You do realize you are the only one who calls you that." Karou proceeded to pick up her slipper ignoring Sano. He gritted his teeth. "You know it didn't even hurt. You just got a cheap shot. I won't let it happen again!" Sano shouted at Karou's back.

Karou gave Sano a death stare as she walked past him. "Oh, I'm sorry little boy, I thought you had come to beg for scraps like a stray mutt." She saw Sano tense slightly.

He gave into the rumbling of his empty stomach. "Yeah, it might have hurt a little. I guess." Sano mumbled as he took a seat in the living room.

"You know Sano," She dropped their friendly sparring and picked up a more serious topic which concerned her. "not that I mind you coming over or anything," Karou was using a mirror to tie her hair back with a large ribbon. "But don't you think you should atleast spend some time at home. I'm sure they miss you. Your sister's probably worried half to death."

"Eh," Sanosuke pulled out a toothpick sticking it in the corner of his mouth. "She's got Ota to mother hen over. She ain't got the time to worry about a delinquent older brother."

"I'm sure she does. And that's another reason, I bet Ota doesn't even recognize you. You know it's really not that long a commute. You could even go back home just on the weekends like Miso." She looked over at Sanosuke's grimacing face. "Oh, come on you can't be that afraid of trains, Sano." Karou smirked looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"Shut up," Sanosuke put his arms behind his head and leaned back. "I ain't scared of some dumb trains. I just don't like to ride 'em." Sanosuke whispered the last line.

"uh-huh." Karou openly chuckled.

"Besides," Sanosuke sighed, "That ain't really the reason I don't want to go home. You know Missie, me and my old man." Sanosuke scratched his head. "We don't really see eye to eye on a lot of things. Anything really."

Karou stepped around the end of the sofa. Plopping down next to Sanosuke. "You've been my best friend for a long time Sano, you know the problems I had with my dad." Sanosuke grunted but gave no other indication he heard her as he closed his eyes. "So you know I know what I'm talking about. You really need to work things out with him. Now, before you guys lose anymore time. Trust me on this." Karou smiled, patting Sanosuke on the head.

Sanosuke glared at her from the corner of his eye. "Whatever, I'm not a kid you know."

"Yeah," Karou smirked, ruffling his hair before standing up. "Want a soda?" Without waiting for an answer Karou headed off to the kitchen.

"What are so dressed up for Missie?" Sanosuke was glad to find a change of subject. "You trying to get some guy or sumthing?" Sanosuke leaned forward looking into the kitchen making sure his teasing wasn't going to waste. "You know you put a raccoon in a dress," rubbing his chin with his hand Sanosuke smirked, "But it's still a raccoon." Sanosuke didn't see the soda can that connected with his right temple. "Ahhhh!" Sanosuke grabbed his head.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Karou looked ready to take his head.

Sanosuke gulped and pulled back on the sofa. "You coulda taken out my eye like that, you know?"

"Hmph. Would have served you right." Karou sat down in the chair turning away from Sanosuke as she coolly opened her soda.

"Man, are you sure you're really a girl?" Karou glared at him, ready to kill. Though Sanosuke only smirked as he reached down to pick up the can. Sanosuke sat, his fingers absently exploring the can. Karou's glare finally softened. "So, where are you going? Out with Tae?" Sanosuke looked up waiting for an answer.

Tae was one of Karou's close friends. They had met when Karou was a freshman at school. "No." Karou leaned back taking a drink of her soda. "Tae's busy with her college classes. I don't want to distract her till She's done." Karou saw Sanosuke still had his gaze set at her. "Well, not that it's any of your business," Karou jokingly spoke as if she were greatly offended. "but I'm escorting Miss Miso tonight."

"Weasel girl?" Karou slapped him over his head with a pillow.

"Don't call her that." Karou gave him a drop dead look. "She's my friend and you know how much it bothers her when you call her that." Karou lowered the pillow.

"Hey I just call them like I see them raccoon girl." The pillow connected hard enough this time to knock Sanosuke back almost tipping the sofa.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE NOW?" Karou was on her feet and standing over him, fluffy weapon in hand.

"Okay! I was kidding, I was kidding." Sanosuke suppressed a relieved sigh as Karou slowly lowered the stuffed weapon, as if she were still considering the alternatives, before she returned to her seat.

Sanosuke thought as he scratched his nose. It wasn't that he disliked the underclassman, it was just some how he and Miso seemed to grate on one another. She just seemed so full of boundless, jumpy energy like a ferret. Sanosuke could feel his strength seeping out just thinking of having to keep up pace with her. Not to mention her freakish fangirl/stalker love of Aoshi. Sanosuke just didn't see what the big deal was. Personally Aoshi creeped him out, not that he would ever admit that to anyone, But Aoshi seemed the most likely to go postal nuts on everyone.

"Karouuu!!"

Sanosuke grimaced as a all to familiar voice called from the door.

Miso stood in the doorway grinning.

"Hey. Come on in Miso. I'll be ready in a moment." Karou got up and walked into her bedroom.

Miso bounded happily into the living room. Sanosuke could already feel his fatigue setting in. Miso spun into the room though her good mood seemed to sour as she saw Sanosuke on the sofa.

"Yo." Sanosuke smirked, a little contented to know his presence got under her skin.

"Hmpf." Miso huffed crossing her arms as she looked away. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, that's kinda private isn't it? Not sumthing I usually share with little kids." Sanosuke felt some of his strength returning as Miso blushed a deep red.

"wh-wh-what?!" Miso stumbled over her words. "M-m-m-miss Karou would never do something like that."

Sanosuke cocked an eyebrow. "Not ever, eh?" Sanosuke felt even better as Miso somehow managed to turn an even more impossible shade of red.

Miso composed herself. Determined not let him goad her into saying or doing anything stupid he could (and most certainly would) use to make fun of her later. "Not with some dumb rooster head jerk, delinquent thug like you." This time it was Miso that felt her strength returning as Sanosuke glared at her use of her favorite insult for him.

Sanosuke quickly covered his irritation with a confident smirk. "Well little girl, the Missie and I were just heading out to eat." His smirk grew as she glared at him. "Sorry kid you're just not invited on this one, adults only." He pushed the final barb in with a smile.

Miso was flailing her arms about shouting. "You stupid rooster head liar! Jerk dummy!" She suddenly stopped as if she had just become all to aware of the ammunition she was handing over to him. Quickly she sought to compose herself once again. "You're lying, rooster head. Karou is going out with me tonight. And," Miso added emphasis, "you're the one not allowed to tag along. Stupid rooster head."

Sanosuke grumbled under his breath. Alright Miso wanted the gloves off? Alright he'd lose the kiddie gloves. "Heh, That what you think? Eh, Weasel Girl?"

Miso's face flashed red like she was ready to hit him, though instead, she bawled out, "Kaaarouuu!! Ro-rooster head," She sniffled, "is making fun of me! He called me a weasel again." Miso held her face in her hands.

Karou's purse slammed into the back of his head as she walked past them into the kitchen. She disappeared around the doorway just as Sanosuke was recovering from the sudden sneak attack. "I've already told you Sano," She called out as sounds of her rooting about the kitchen reached the living room. "Be nice to Miso and don't call her names."

Through her fingers Miso glared at him. "heheh." She snickered condescendingly. Great,

Sanosuke thought, she learned a new trick.

"Hey!!" Sanosuke shouted. "How come she gets to call me anything she wants, and I get whacked for one tiny crack?"

"Because," Miso was practically purring, "I'm her friend, rooster head. She likes me." She snickered again. "She doesn't like you she tolerates you because you're such a pathetic rooster head loser."

"Miso!" Karou's voice was sharp as she appeared around the corner. "I told you he's not a rooster head."

"Heh." It was Sanosuke's turn for a high handed laugh. Miso looked down at the floor looking genuinely sorry. Course, after her last performance Sanosuke wasn't trusting it.

"He's my doggy!"

"eh?"

Sanosuke looked up at Karou as she thumped her hand down on his head. Patting him softly. "Isn't that right? Yes isn't that right?" Karou used a ootchie voice like she was talking to a dog. Miso burst out laughing as Karou scruffed his hair. Before he could object Karou placed something on his nose.

"Eh?" Sanosuke quickly reached up taking the small, round, dark thing off his nose. "What the hell is this?" Sanosuke questioned.

"It's a cookie for my good little doggie." Karou pinched his cheeks as he glared at her. "We made them in home ec today."

"You made it?"

"Uh-huh." Sanosuke made a face and tentatively sniffed the cookie, almost as if he were a dog. "Stop, just eat it." Karou glared at him. He bit off have the cookie. Fighting his gag response, he choked it down.

"Missie?" Karou looked at him with wondering eyes. "This tastes like crap." Karou glared at him and turned away walking toward Miso. The two of them headed for the door. "Seriously do you even look at the recipe, Missie?"

"Oh, Shut up! If you don't like it, then don't eat it." Karou turned around stomping her foot. Sanosuke smiled at her as he popped the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

"Come on Karou." Miso pulled on her sleeve softly. "Lets get out of here before he goes feral and tries to bite us."

Sanosuke watched as the two of them headed out the door. As Sanosuke stood up Karou popped her head back in the door frame. "Lock up if you leave, Okay Sano?" Sanosuke grunted his response. "I set out some leftovers on the counter. Sorry I didn't have time to fix anything. Just put them in the microwave for a minute or two. Don't worry about the dish I'll get it later." Karou smiled one last time as her head disappeared around the door.

Sanosuke smiled as he went out to the kitchen. Quickly seeing the leftovers he picked up the tubberware tossing it in the microwave he hit the two minute button. He then turned scanning the kitchen. Behind the rice cooker he found what he was looking for. Pulling the clear plastic bag out he held it up to eye level. Yup, this was definitely them. The bag was full of Karou's blackened cookies. He opened the bag, one shaky hand reaching down to draw one from the bag. Sanosuke seriously wondered how anyone could make something so awful if they really took the time to read the recipe. He mused weather it was possible that Karou could have somehow mixed up baking soda for flour. Resigning himself to his fate, he stuffed the cookie into his mouth. Chewing as quickly as he could he hastily swallowed the cookie. Ignoring the taste in his mouth he reached down for another.

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Okay I know some of you are going, "geez, is he hinting at a Karou/Sanosuke thing?" My answer yes. Wait don't go!! Let me explain. Not to give away the story but have no fear Karou will be with Kenshin and maybe Sano will end up with our favorite fox lady doctor. For right now it's kinda a one sided thing on Sano's side. Karou is supposed to be oblivious to it. I hope you got that point. Anyway thank you for taking the time to read it. Please review if I get enough response I'll continue.

When all else fails, tell the truth.

Mark Twain

Women are such teases. That's why I went back to men.

Lois, Family Guy


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